It was getting close to midday when Cutter made plans with The Voice to talk. He knew this because he had woken up from his first nap just a short while before.

  I wish I had a better way to tell time than by how many times I’ve sucked on…

  Ah. Whatever. I’ll work with what I got.

  Putting his time keeping woes aside, Cutter went back to his training under the watch of Felly.

  As he was going for his second attempt at reaching the curtains for a new personal best, there was a knock on the door.

  He got distracted and looked over at the door, causing him to fall again.

  Damn it! If only my head didn’t weigh as much as the rest of my body combined.

  He lamented his disproportionate body with a sigh.

  Cutter was about to swear revenge on whomever interrupted him but it turned out to be Ada so he decided to let it go.

  She was always kind to him.

  Not to mention whenever she came he’d get to hear some juicy gossip and even some useful pieces of information… once in a while.

  She really loved gossip, and so did he.

  Today, Ada was wearing a plain, light green summer dress and carrying what Cutter assumed was a child carrier. She entered the room and gave Felly a hug.

  “Are you ready?” Ada asked.

  “I just have to get him changed but do I have to, Ada dear?”

  “Of course. Maternal isolation usually ends at six months and you’ve kept him to yourself for almost a half month longer! It’s time.”

  Cutter listened in silence.

  Maternal isolation?

  So that’s why I never see anyone, maybe a cultural or maybe a noble custom?

  Ugh, sounds like things are about to get annoying. I’d rather stay in here with Felly until I can move around better.

  “Are you sure I can’t have him to myself for 3, no… 6 more months?” Felly asked.

  “Denied. The staff are waiting and they’ve already prepared the little Master’s lunch.”

  Cutter was stunned.

  Ada grabbed Felly’s shoulder, forcefully spun her around to face Cutter, and slapped her on the butt hard!

  “Ow!” Felly shrieked.

  “Shut it. Hurry up now. Unless you want another one.” Ada held up a flat palm and threatened.

  “Oh fine. You don’t have to be so rude!”

  Felly went over to Cutter, picked him up and started getting him ready.

  Lunch?! Did she say lunch?

  His hesitation from before disappeared immediately.

  I’ve only had boobie milk for what feels like forever!

  I almost forgot what eating is all about!

  Finally, real food!

  Cutter was ready to cry tears of joy.

  He was so excited that while Felly put him in a black onesie with the Surefire crest on the breast, he was actively helping her out.

  Then, she combed his delicate, black wisps of hair that had started growing. She was having a hard time getting it to go into place but she eventually got it into a nice looking side-part.

  Not that it mattered, as soon as she left the bathroom with him it was already a mess.

  “Shouldn’t’ve bothered,” Felly muttered when she saw her work was useless.

  He wasn’t worried about his appearance though, the only thing on his mind was food.

  When Felly brought Cutter out of the bathroom, Ada gave him a once over.

  “Are you going to do something about his hair?” Ada asked.

  “I was trying!” Felly sounded a little exasperated when she asked, “Oh right, you’re not from the Vallones Duchy, are you?”

  “No. Why?”

  “There’s a saying among the people: ‘In Vallones, the Surefires control everything except their own hair.’”

  “Seriously?”

  “Haven’t you met any other Surefires?”

  Ada took a second to think.

  “This little Master’s eldest sister, Malonie, came to introduce herself to Teacher when we were helping at Caltroppes Mountain during a magic beast subjugation.”

  Ada looked up and put her finger on her chin.

  “Although, now that I think about it, I think she was wearing a helmet and only had her visor up. So I only got to see her face. She’s pretty… and intense.”

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  “Oh. Well some of the other nobles call them the Shaggyfires.”

  Ada chuckled.

  “Well, if that’s the worst they’re being called, they must be doing something right,” Ada replied.

  “Well, I heard another rumor. But you can’t tell anyone you heard it from me!”

  Both Ada and Cutter perked up and leaned in closer. Felly looked around, as if she was making sure no one else was in the room.

  “I heard that for formal things like celebrations and the like, the Duke uses some sort of magic sap to keep his hair,” Felly whispered.

  Ada and Cutter waited with bated breath but Felly didn’t say anything else.

  “And?” Ada asked.

  Felly looked confused.

  “And what? It’s sap you know, wouldn’t that be hard to wash out?!”

  Ada and Cutter rolled their eyes.

  “Felly. Hon. I work as a nurse, if you think putting sap in your hair is a bit hard to believe, then have I got some stories for you. Now…”

  Ada was about to go on a spiel about some of the crazy things she’s seen as a nurse but suddenly seemed to remember.

  “Oh wait, we don’t have time for this.”

  Ada’s hand that was holding the baby carrier flashed silver as Cutter watched with interest.

  Transmutation magic?

  Cutter watched as the carrier made a hum and lifted until it was horizontal with the ground.

  It turned out it wasn’t just a baby carrier, it was a hovering baby carriage.

  As Cutter was watching, he furrowed his brows and scowled.

  This is bad. If this is the best their magitech can do, my prospects for finding a ship are looking grim.

  How am I going to find Fernando like this?

  Cutter was a little disappointed at first, but seeing magic stirred something in him.

  ==========================

  Memories surfaced: He was a young man with short brown hair, broad shoulders, wide jaw, and a comparatively small nose. His legs were stacked with muscle; they were like tree trunks as he was standing straight with his burly arms wide and palms facing the sky.

  Motes of light, which were mana, were entering his body through his palms and as they did the wind started to whip around him causing dirt to lift up in a plume from the ground. Then, the wind abruptly died down.

  There was silence then a pulse, like something exploded from the young man’s body.

  He slowly opened his blue eyes and grinned.

  He reached down and put his palm on the ground and as he did a pillar of rock shot out.

  A hearty laugh came from behind the young man as he turned towards it.

  There was a man who looked similar but had a burly, red beard walking towards him with a grin plastered on his face.

  ==========================

  The day I formed my mana core…

  Cutter shook his head and smiled a bitter, baby smile.

  As for Felly, she looked a little surprised to see the carriage start to hover but still placed Cutter into it carefully.

  “You got a hover carriage? This must have been so expensive.” Felly said.

  “I had my parents send it from the capital. Perks of being a little silver spoon,” Ada teased.

  “Yeah, must be nice being a little rich kid,” Felly teased back.

  “You’re the head maid of one of the littlest, richest kids in the empire, hon.”

  “Well, being a maid to a rich kid and being a rich kid are two different things, dear.”

  They both laughed as they opened the door and walked into the hall.

  Cutter was now stepping out into the world.

  Though, he was more interested in what was for lunch.

  ==========================

  The trio stepped through a vaguely familiar hallway. The last time Cutter was here he could barely see, and it was dimly lit because it was dark.

  The walls were a dark grey stone and there were light stones embedded in the tops of the walls at certain intervals.

  Not that they needed them at the moment, it was daytime and all the purple curtains on the gothic, pointed arch glass windows were drawn. Through them Cutter could see a garden with a gazebo. It looked like a courtyard.

  Sunlight! I forgot what that’s like, Felly always kept the curtains closed probably because of that Maternal Isolation she was talking about.

  The trio continued past a few decorations like a really ugly vase and some shiny armored knight statues with the Surefire crest on their breast.

  These Surefires brand everything! It’s like they’re afraid people will forget who they are if they’re not everywhere.

  What took Cutter’s attention the most were a few paintings they passed along the way. They were paintings of men with black hair and purple eyes.

  All of them had frazzled, messy hair.

  I’m doomed.

  I used to be such a hunk too.

  Cutter lamented.

  Now I’m going to look like a shaggy dog the rest of my life.

  And they’re all skin and bones!

  Cutter’s existential crisis aside, the trio made their way through the hall until it opened up into a foyer.

  Lined up on the right as they walked into the foyer were fully armed guards.

  The man in front was wearing a full set of black plate armor, minus the helmet. He was middle-aged, had light green hair with a few grey streaks, and a stern look.

  Standing on his flanks was Cutter’s promotion hungry friend Kass, who smiled when he saw the little baby.

  Next to Kass was the tallest person in the room.

  She was at least seven feet tall, had blonde hair, and had a large warhammer strapped to her back. She was wearing similar armor as Kass; black leather armor with a breastplate but she didn’t have the spaulders. Instead, she was showing off her giant, ripped muscles on her arms.

  Now that’s a body.

  Cutter was impressed as she was taller than he was in his first life.

  Behind the giant guardswoman were ten more guards, instead of the black leather armor, theirs was purple. They were holding spears in their right hand that were in a ready-stance position resting on the ground and had crossbows on their back.

  From the slight shimmer of the weapons and armor, Cutter could tell that all of it was enchanted.

  Yikes. Surefires spare no expense.

  Cutter studied the guards.

  So, those who wear black have a higher rank? The guards in the back must be normies so they gave them magic crossbows?

  Cutter then looked at Kass and the woman next to him.

  That means those two are probably mages?

  Maybe Kass is more capable than I thought.

  Then he observed the man in black plate armor.

  That’s Mezzo, my head guard. He looks capable at least.

  With those thoughts Cutter observed the left side where lined up were what seemed to be the workers of the manor.

  There were maids dressed similar to Felly but instead of a black dress they were wearing purple dresses which confirmed Cutter’s guess about black being a higher rank.

  There were men in black pants and button-up purple shirts, which Cutter assumed were butlers.

  It was hard to tell what everyone’s job was except for one man who was clearly wearing a blacksmith’s apron, arms like a tank, and looking extremely displeased.

  Cutter didn’t mind.

  I wouldn’t want to stop my work to go greet a baby either.

  Overall, including the guards, there were forty-five people total.

  This is a whole village worth of people! Do you really need this many people for one baby?!

  As Cutter entered into the middle of the crowd, all of them got down on one knee, made a circle with their left hand, and placed it on their chest in front of their hearts, the Surefire salute.

  “Greetings little Master!”

  They all called out, but that wasn’t the end.

  “We solemnly swear. To live and die with the Master and never let his flame die out. Long live the Surefires!”

  After the life oath, Cutter’s heart felt heavy.

  Shit. There’s nothing like responsibility that will keep a person in one place.

  Cutter thought for a moment as his people started to stand up.

  Well, for now I need them to survive. Fuck it, I’ll just make sure that they’re taken care of when I leave.

  Cutter made a little circle with his left hand and awkwardly bumped it to his chest and then yelled out a bunch of baby gibberish as if to copy the oath the people just took.

  Then he ended it with his ultimate attack: a baby squeal of laughter.

  It was a resounding success.

  Because the people all roared with laughter.

  Even the grumpy looking blacksmith smiled.

  Whether I’m a hunk or not I still got the charm.

  Cutter felt a bit smug and sighed.

  Felly and Ada both had huge smiles on their faces.

  “Alright everyone, please go back to your duties. It’s time for the little Master’s meal.”

  As Felly dismissed everyone, all the people scattered to go back to their work including the guards.

  Kass made sure to give Cutter a funny face, which Cutter made sure to laugh at, then he smiled and left with the giant guardswoman.

  Mezzo, the head guardsman, came up to Felly and saluted.

  “Madame Felucia. I’m happy to see that you’re out of Maternal Isolation.”

  His voice was a lot higher than Cutter expected.

  He’d make a good Falsetto.

  “Please call me Felly,” Felly replied.

  “I cannot. I must address you as is your station… How about Madame Felly?” Mezzo replied.

  “Very well, Ser Mezzo. It will be my pleasure working with you dear.”

  Mezzo nodded towards Ada and then turned to Cutter, saluted, and kneeled.

  “little Master Serin Surefire. I am Ser Mezzo Culk, a knight of House Surefire. I swear to guard you with my life, through hell or high water!”

  This is my strongest protector, so I need to make a good impression!

  As Mezzo stood up, Cutter used his super ultimate attack: Super Happy Baby Squeal!

  Mezzo was stunned and his serious act dropped.

  “He’s SO cuuuuuute!” Mezzo squealed as well.

  Mezzo realized he broke character and did a fake cough to shake off his embarrassment.

  “Anyways, shall we have lunch?” He asked.

  Felly and Ada chuckled and Cutter smiled.

  Real food!